Where can I get smaller but high quality chess boards?

I’m looking for a chess board of around 16", preferably wood. What is the best place to look? Most wooden chess board makers seem to focus on larger and arguably more standardized sizes, obviously.

I’m prepared to spend C$200 maximum—preferably closer to C$100.

The following is not an endorsement as I get no remuneration from any equipment or bookseller in the world.

Having said that...If you prefer all wood and no bigger than 2" squares you can get a solid wood board with no boarder(otherwise it would be larger than 2" squares) for a reasonable price. Also comes in 1 1/2" and 1 3/4".How much is shipping you will have to ask Brad the owner, he is on etsy, name is ColoradoWoodWorker. It's free shipping but only in the 48 states.

Another fine chess purveyor is House of Staunton, You can get a closeout chess board which are very nice as I myself ordered one, it will be veneer but I have had no problem myself and it looks good. Again you would have to ask about shipping. HOS has a plethora of chess boards you can spend hours going through. SOlid wood even for a 2" board would be way over your CD limit of $200.

I have boards from both of the above purveyors and they pack them so well never had a problem. If you could get the board sent to a US address and pick it up over the border you might save a lot, depending on how far you have to travel and if you have a friend in the area of the border on the US side.

Just trying to be helpful.

Thank you, but I’m more looking for chess boards with 1.6" squares to fit a chess set with 3.15" kings. 2" is too large; and it seems like House of Staunton doesn’t offer sets smaller than 2" squares—or I don’t know how to find them.

You could buy from Regency Chess Canada. They seem to have a Repchapados Ferrer board of that size,

https://www.regencychess.ca/chess-boards/12-to-14-inch-boards/13.75-inch-walnut-and-maple-chess-board

If you can go up to 1.75" there are a couple from Chess House:

17" Acacia

14 Black & Maple

Only one place that I know of where you can buy a beautiful walnut and maple "Drueke style" chess board 1 1/2" squares for $129.99 and 1 3/4" for $159.99. He makes each one himself. Give it at least a look at The Drueke style board solid maple and walnut and beautifully done.

That is his Etsy store. You look around and tell me if anyone else can deliver that board for that price. Brad does this on the side. He is a high school shop teacher.

The only problem is shipping to Canada. If you did have a US ship to address it would be free shipping.

If you want solid wood and excellent craftmanship this is it.

Yeah I’m vaguely considering the 15.75" wenge and maple board. I’m just concerned the maple squares are not going to be a great fit for my white chess pieces. And ideally, I would like something more exciting, like purple heart or padauk. But I might be asking too much.

Actually, I just found Colorado Wood Worker on Etsy who does produce various boards at smaller sizes, and the maple they use looks very light in some of the boards, which could work with my white pieces.

Thanks! I actually just came across him. The maple looks very light in some of his boards, which could work well with my white chess pieces. The maple and Peruvian walnut board looks good, but maybe I can ask him to do a black or purple heart stain on the dark squares.

I like the black and maple one! My only concern is that my white pieces are not going to look great on beige squares. I’m probably after a lighter maple. Or do you have any other suggestions for white pieces? The board below works okay; maybe I should look for a board with darker squares. Although I think my ideal right now would be something like light maple with purple heart or padauk.

You can work with Brad as far as different woods go etc. He will take pictures and email them to you. He has about every hardwood there is within reason. Like I said though I have no idea if you have a shipping problem or not.

Buy 100- or 300-pack of 1-inch craft cubes.

https://www.amazon.ca/Wooden-Unfinished-Blocks-Natural-Projects/dp/B0D2KZXYV1/

Paint 32, leave other 32 plain. Glue with colle d'école, then coat with olive oil. Add some strong tea for toning if you don't want white squares to be too bright.

You can paint 36 more cubes uniformly to create a frame to add letters and digits.

So for 39.99 CAD you can make 3x 16" boards.

100 pieces (1") - 26.98 CAD: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09NM45D91

makes one board with frame

Interesting idea, but I can’t image it’s that easy to make them all align properly. It seems quite an undertaking, and it would become a really thick chess board. I don’t have the tools to get it to the thickness I would want, or the knowledge and experience to make a beautiful chess set. Nor the courage to even try!